The Tree of Life

No stranger to existential, impressionistic cinema, writer-director Terrence Malick repeatedly references the Book of Job during this challenging cinematic exploration, which incorporates both the origins of the universe and an earthbound narrative as it tries to tease out the meaning of life itself. The main story, set in 1950s Texas, revolves around stern, pious, domineering Mr. O'Brien (Brad Pitt); his spiritual, nurturing wife (Jessica Chastain), and the idyllic childhood of their three sons, one of whom inexplicably dies at age 19. The central figure here is vulnerable eldest child Jack (Hunter McCracken), who will grow up to become a meditative Houston architect (Sean Penn). The fractured family relationships, tension-filled interactions, and childhood suburban neighborhood seen through Jack's viewpoint are evocative of a time, a place, and an American cultural ethos. Pitt delivers an indelible performance as the intimidating father, while Chastain exudes ethereal compassion, and the young boys (McCracken, Laramie Eppler, Tye Sheridan) display naturalistic exuberance. Featuring an elliptical structure and minimal dialogue, The Tree of Life is an elusive, enigmatic film, poetically lensed by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and backed by Alexandre Desplat's sublime, requiem-filled score. But while Malick's glimpses of an interconnected afterlife—think Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey—are intriguing, this long film also taxes the viewer's patience with its repetitive imagery. Still, this extraordinary epic—equally dazzling and dumbfounding—is highly recommended. [Note: Blu-ray extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette (30 min.), trailers, and bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for Malick's Cannes award-winning philosophic epic.] (S. Granger) [Blu-ray/DVD Review—Sept. 18, 2018—Criterion, 139 min., PG-13, DVD: 3 discs, $39.95; Blu-ray: 2 discs, $49.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and Blu-ray, 2011’s The Tree of Life features an excellent transfer with a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Featuring both an extended version of the film (with an additional 50 minutes of footage) and the theatrical release, extras include a 2011 featurette with filmmakers David Fincher and Christopher Nolan (30 min.), a 2011 video essay by critic Matt Zoller Seitz and editor Serena Bramble (25 min.), a video essay with critic Benjamin B (17 min.), interviews with visual effects supervisor Dan Glass (23 min.), costar Jessica Chastain (19 min.), and critic Alex Ross (19 min.), and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Kent Jones and a 2011 piece on the film by critic Roger Ebert. Bottom line: a definitive edition of Malick’s contemporary classic.]